On commercial aircraft with in-flight catering services, galley carts are commonly used to transport meals from an aircraft galley to passengers. Such galley carts typically have aluminum door edges that are thermally conductive, and that consequently can interfere with thermal insulation of the galley carts, acting as “cold bridges” in chilled cart bays, for example. Other metal components of the main structure of a door of such conventional galley carts can also to some extent interfere with proper thermal insulation of the galley carts. Such conventional galley cart doors also typically provide a “plug” door seal upon closure by a sweeping action of the door.
It would be desirable to provide an aircraft galley cart bay door that utilizes a carbon fiber reinforced composite material as a major portion of the main structural material of the door to significantly reduce weight and strength of the door, to allow the door to be used for retention of contents of the galley cart as well, and to significantly reduce cold bridging in chilled cart bay galleys through the elimination of metallic components. It would also be desirable to provide an aircraft galley cart bay door that includes an inward facing periphery that allows a compression seal to be achieved, improving and simplifying the sealing, and reducing wear. The present invention meets these and other needs.